Facade Cladding Concrete Blocks with Beveled Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing facade coverings lack a visually varied and high-quality appearance, and there is a need for a solution that enhances aesthetic appeal while ensuring effective anchoring and ventilation.

Innovation Solution

A facade panel composed of concrete bricks arranged in rows and columns, with beveled front and side surfaces, featuring a pocket on the upper side for anchoring elements and providing rear ventilation gaps, uses a combination of beveled and straight bricks to create a unique visual effect and improve air circulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If concrete bricks with beveled front sides are used to create visual variety and aesthetic appeal, then the appearance quality is improved, but the structural symmetry and simplicity are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidbrick geometry complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by designing concrete bricks with beveled front sides that enclose angles unequal to 90° with the upper and lower sides. This asymmetric geometry creates shadow effects and visual variety on the façade while maintaining a systematic arrangement pattern for installation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by implementing bevels only on the front sides of bricks that are visible on the façade, while the rear sides and internal structures maintain standard geometric forms. This allows aesthetic enhancement where needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire brick structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If pockets are formed on the upper side of concrete bricks for anchoring elements, then the anchoring capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchoring capabilityVSAvoidbrick manufacturing
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming pockets on the upper sides of concrete bricks during the manufacturing process. These pockets are prepared in advance to receive anchoring elements, eliminating the need for现场 drilling or complex post-manufacturing modifications, thereby improving anchoring reliability while maintaining manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If rear ventilation gaps are provided between the facade facing and the facade to be faced, then the ventilation performance is improved, but the structural stability and wind resistance are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation performanceVSAvoidwind resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the façade system into distinct components: the façade facing made of concrete bricks, the anchoring elements, and the ventilation gap space. This segmentation allows the ventilation gap to be integrated as a deliberate design feature rather than a structural weakness, enabling air circulation while maintaining overall system stability through proper anchoring

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2860326B1Facade lining
Publication Date: 2018.07.11 GEIGER PETER
  • EP2860326B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2860326B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2860326B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a concrete block (2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 19) for cladding facades (8), which has a substantially cuboid shape with a bottom, a top (14, 20), a front (17, 23), a back (16, 22) and two side faces (15, 18, 21, 24), wherein the top (14, 20) and the bottom are arranged parallel to each other, the back (16, 22) forms an angle of 90° with both the top (14, 20) and the bottom, and the front (17, 23) forms an angle of non-90° with both the top (14, 20) and the bottom. The invention further relates to a facade cladding consisting of such concrete blocks (2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 19).